Xandra and Kat: The Air of Mystery
by JayeRyane
Summary: Two Students are entering Hogwarts in their 6th year. One from Durmstrang, the other from Beaubaton, and each with their own secret. One of Lust, the other, death.


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A/N – Hello! Yes, This is my first Harry Potter Fan Fiction. I don't own any of the characters except Xandra and Kat. Oh … and for your info, yes, I change how Lupin looks. I'm TERRIBLY sorry, but I just felt for my story, it needed to be done. If anyone needs a reference as to how he looks … American idol, season 4, Constantine Maroulis. Alright? Sorry … but this is my reality … so my rules. With that said, enjoy, and Read and Review! 

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Chapter 1

Alexandra, or more preferably to her, Xandra, boarded the train slowly, lugging a large trunk with her. She had entered the opposite side from the students, at the request of the headmaster, Dumbledore. She sighed, entering the staff's car. She could see Dumbledore already, seated with Professor McGonagall. They were speaking softly to one another. Professor McGonagall held out a text, so Xandra assumed it must have been about lesson plans. She didn't much like the thought of having to sit with the staff during her ride to Hogwarts, no matter if it was her first time there. Though she was in her sixth year, Xandra spent her previous schooling at Beauxbaton, at her grandmother's request. Each year when Xandra asked to be placed in Hogwarts instead, she would refuse, saying it was for her own good, and giving no other explanation than that. Then, as the conflict in the Ministry, and the news of Voldemort returning, she was finally granted her wish to be taken in as a 6th year at Hogwarts.

Xandra was a tall slim girl. When lying freely, her hair hung a bit more than an inch above her elbows. She had pulled her long blonde strands into two low ponytails, tied by black ribbons. Xandra's skin was of a fair kind, tanned softly from the summer sun. She had the curves of a well-developed body, and wore her clothing properly within her proportions. Already changed into the uniform and robes she had been provided with, save for a few changes. The itch ridden, suffocating gray sweater-vest had been replaced by a similar, but much softer vest, she had bought last minute in Diagon Alley. Also, in a change from the pleated knee length skirt provided, Xandra opted for a sleeker buttoned black skirt, which hung slightly above her knees. She had already rolled the sleeves of her white collared shirt, and tugged at her tie to loosen it. Her bright green, searching for an empty row of seating to rest down in.

Xandra hauled her trunk further down the aisle, getting a few glances from other teachers. She had been introduced to nearly the entire staff prior to her immersion into Hogwarts. As she slid her trunk under an empty pair of seats, she looked over to see an unfamiliar teacher. He was immersed in what seemed to be a lengthy potions text. He had long scraggly black hair that hung low on his face, accompanied by the dark black materials of his clothing and robes. The darkness of his clothing only more showed the paleness of his skin, and the slightly crookedness of his nose. She shook her head softly, and turned away, sliding slowly into her seat. She looked over to the two seats across from her, thankful they were also empty.

Xandra gathered her robes around herself, and slid her legs up under herself, before reaching into a small side bag she wore around her shoulder. She pulled out a large book from the bag, which seemed slightly too big to fit inside the bag. She cracked the worn binding open, and pulled a marker free from between the pages. She slowly began to reabsorb the material from her text of "Guide to Extraordinary Transfiguration". She brushed a lose hair back behind her ear as she read slowly, her lips forming the words slowly. She repeated the words again and again, before turning the page. She continued in this fashion, barely registered the jerking movement of the train, as it began moving its way along the tracks, away from Platform 9 ¾.

Xandra read chapter after chapter, numbing her senses from the atmosphere around her, until she could hear the mumblings of people speaking in front of her. Slowly, and at most very quietly, she tilted her head up, to peer over the pages of her book. She could see two figures speaking to one another, and after several moments of her eyes adjusting from her book to the persons in the opposite seats, she could see another staff member she had not met, and another student, seemingly her age. She was taller than Xandra, even in her seated position, she could tell that. Her hair was long, and an extremely vibrant shade of lime. Xandra could slightly see her eyes a deep chestnut brown, before she slid her eyes back to her book, not wanting to be seen staring. After waiting a few minutes, she raised her gaze again, and peered at the woman's uniform. She had cast her cloak off, and her skirt was what seemed to be of a forest green variety, not to noticeable from the plain black. Though, it was considerably shorter than standard. Nothing else seemed different about the girl, aside from the fact that she had opted for a short-sleeved collared shirt. She was ready to move back to her text, when the girl crossed her legs over one another, and she saw that she had also decided against the normal socks and flat soled shoes. She had black-laced boots adorned to her feet. Xandra slowly shook her head, and let her mind move back to her book.

After another two chapters, Xandra began to blink severely, her eyes watering from the close proximity of the text to her pupils. She pulled her head back, closing her eyes a few moments, then opening them to retrieve her marker, sliding it in place, and closing the text, setting the book down to her right, in the empty seat next to her. She sighed softly, staring out of the window at the scenery passing, wondering how her brother was getting on. Xandra ran her index finger across the fogged window, tracing a pattern of a crescent moon across the glass. She then felt, as she shifted her weight slightly, that her right leg had indeed fallen asleep. She began slowly moving her legs out from under her, and without looking, stretched her leg out in front of her. Shortly thereafter though, she felt her shoe lightly tap against something that had the texture of what seemed to be leather.

Xandra turned her head from the window, to the front of her, sliding her foot away from the left boot of the woman that sat across from her. She nodded her head slowly, "Sorry."

She girl looked at her strangely a moment, before shrugging back to her, "No bother to me."

Xandra smiled shortly, then moved her head back to the window, when her own shoe felt the tug of another. She tilted her head back, and locked eyes with the girl. Xandra cocked an eyebrow as the girl began to speak, "You're a student, obviously. The uniform's a dead give away," She lifted her hand to drum her fingers on her chin, "What I'm perplex by, is why exactly you've been chosen to sit in the staff car,"

Xandra opened her mouth, ready to retort, "Well, what are yo-"

"My reason, as I'm sure you're going to ask, is I am a transfer from Durmstrang. I assume you're in the same boat." The girl smirked lightly, and cocked her head to one side in an almost mock anxiousness.

Xandra grinned, and nodded, "Well, you're quite perceptive. Although we're slightly in different boats. **I've** transferred from Beauxbaton."

The other shrugged, "Oh, I was bloody well close enough."

Her use of language, put on the receiving end of a jabbing from the man that sat next to her, even though it had seemed to Xandra, to have been asleep. The girl snorted softy, and didn't hesitate to jab him back. She smirked again, and struck her hand out so quickly, that it startled Xandra for a moment, "Hey there. The name's Katherine. But I don't want to hear you callin' me that. Strictly Kat around m' peers."

Xandra shook her head slowly, then clasped her hand around hers, "Alexandra. But Xandra's fine. I suppose we don't fancy our birth name much."

Kat grinned, and laughed out loud. She kicked her boot against the leg of her seat rhythmically, "So, you're a sixth year eh?"

"How'd you manage to guess that?" Xandra slid back lightly in her seat, peering at Kat, who shrugged.

"Law of averages. We've got all our other topics in sync with each other. Why not the grades?" Kat grinned, and brought her arm up behind her head, resting back.

Xandra nodded, "It makes rather good sense."

Kat grinned, and laughed again, "I should think it does. I'm a genius you know."

The man next to her was heard snorting softly in a laugh. Kat jabbed him again in the side. Xandra pointed her hand out, "A genius that needs to be escorted onto the train? So, you're one of those insane geniuses I'd imagine."

The man next to her laughed again, but lifted his head to glare down at Kat before she could attempt another assault at his side. Xandra finally got a full sight of him. He was tall and slender, as Kat was. His hair was a dark brown, and hung to his chin, in an unkempt, wavy manner. He has what seemed to be somewhat of a lazy scruff on his face, as though he hadn't bother with shaving. His robes seemed to have once been a deep brown, but now only a worn dark tan. As he turned face Xandra, she got a straight on view of his face, and his eyes immediately startled her. They were an amazingly dark chestnut brown, nearly black, and seemed to darken the skin around his eyes to add to the tired, agitated look he had. Though his eyes themselves held nothing of a dull tired look. They nearly smothered, as if heat generated from them. By her view, he seemed to be youthful looking for his age, but the stress lines the creased his brow when he glared at Kat showed age.

After shaking her mind back from the startling his eyes left upon her, she narrowed her own eyes, and look at him. He seemed to be familiar to her somehow. Xandra slowly tracked her mind back, until she clicked the pieces together. After hesitating from her original remark, she opened her mouth and spoke out, "You're," she let her mouth hang slightly open, "Remus Lupin?"

She was glad she had refrained herself from saying 'the werewolf' and watched as he nodded slowly, "Yes, I am."

Xandra cocked an eyebrow, "You've returned to Hogwarts to teach again?"

Lupin nodded again, this time more slowly, "If I heard you correctly, you said you've transferred from Beauxbaton, in France," he waited for her to nod in the affirmative before continuing, "How is it that you know I've taught at Hogwarts once before? I don't believe they receive the Daily Prophet at Beauxbaton."

Xandra smiled and shook her head, "No, we don't. I heard it from my brother actually. He's gone to Hogwarts since first year."

"Ah, that would explain it. Who is your brother though?" Lupin nodded to her slowly, curious as to whom had been speaking of him.

"Neville. Neville Longbottom."


End file.
